Comfort in Silence
by deadlynightfall
Summary: She found she knew not a thing about him, and wanting to change that, she finds a way to get through to his heart, through books, tea, and a gentle friendship. Kidd x Maka. Rated T for future chapters.
1. The Classics

Hello there. It's me again.

I apologize for dropping my other Kidd x Maka fan fiction, _**Confusion**_, but I lost my plot and I could not make it go where I wanted it.

So I decided to start a new one and see where I could get with that. If I can't do that, then I'll try and start a collection of one-shots, and see where I can go from there.

Anyhow~ I'll get on with the story.

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It was here, in Shibusen's library, that Maka Albarn found solace and comfort. Reading was one of her favorite hobbies, and she took it very seriously. Today, she had wanted to find a few new novels to read, and had then come to return her others and to pick out some that she had yet to read.

Maka now stood in the classical section, looking up as the tall shelves that loomed painfully high above her head. Looking about, she noticed the stairways that led to higher levels, where more books could be accessed. She then made her way up the stairs, and looked more closely at the shelf. Selecting a book from the shelf, she curiously read the inside cover and smiled, tucking the book under her arm.

She continued to look, and found another book that she thought would do nicely. Checking one last time to see if there were any other interesting looking novels, she heard a familiar voice behind her. "Ah, Dracula and A Telltale Heart. I was unaware that you liked the classics, Maka." Maka turned to face a solemn-faced Death the Kidd, who stood, symmetrically, in front of her, his hands in his pockets and his dark amber eyes fixed on her.

Laughing nervously, Maka nodded. "Ah. Yes, I've wanted to read a new book or two lately, and these looked interesting enough to catch my eye. I assume you read classical literature as well, Kidd-kun?" She asked curiously, tilting her head just the slightest, her olive eyes settling onto his pale face. He nodded once, smiling a bit. "I do. Philosophy is also another soft spot of mine." He chuckled once, drifting slowly down towards the shelf.

He was silent after that, his eyes poring over the shelf, patiently looking for something he would be interested in. Maka watched him quietly, noticing little things that would normally have gone amiss, were one to look at him.

That solemn and wise expression he wore now was definitely something, as well as the soft glint of peace and happiness in his golden eyes. The palest of blush crept forward, barely noticeable, but Maka surely felt it. Smirking inwardly, she realized she must look… creepy, watching him that way, though it was only because she barely knew anything about the boy; other than that he was smart, intuitive, incredibly intelligent and well-rounded, sophisticated, not to mention _handsome_…

Wait.

It was true that she thought all of those things about him, but why was she thinking them? She shook her head, and the thoughts dissipated for a while. She looked back at him to find his eyes on her, and when he noticed, he blinked, closed the book he was holding, and set it back on the shelf where he had gotten it. Smiling silently, his eyes settled on her for another moment, before he said, "I'm sure you'll want to check those out and be on your way. I enjoyed talking to you. See you around, Maka." He said quietly, before turning to walk off in the other direction.

"Wait," she called out, and he turned. Looking down for a moment, she tried to think of something to say. "Ah, Kidd-kun, would you like to come over for some tea or something? I've a lot of books at home, if any interest you, you can read them whenever you like." She stammered a bit, looking up to see him smiling just the slightest.

He paused, then spoke. "Sounds lovely, Maka. I would be honored to be in your company for a good day of reading." He said smoothly, turning to walk towards her and down the stairs. Unsure of what she had just said, though she knew all too well, she followed after him, hurriedly checking out her books and making her way out of the library.

Smiling nervously, she said, "Sorry for taking so long. Let's get going, ne?" She asked, giggling a bit and hugging her books to her chest. Thinking about the situation for a moment, Maka had done away with her shy attitude and replaced it with her normal, confident one.

They soon arrived at Maka and Soul's shared apartment, and Maka pulled her keys from her skirt pocket, readjusting herself quite a bit just to try and get the door open. "Ah, Maka. Let me help you." Kidd murmured out helpfully, taking her books in one hand and her keys in the other, opening the door and holding it open for her, waving her politely inside.

"After you." He smiled. Blushing a bit, Maka nodded, stepping inside and taking her books, setting them on the coffee table next to the kitchen. "Thank you, Kidd-kun, that was very nice of you." Kidd nodded once, his solemn expression reigning in his dazzling smile. "Just being polite, Maka." He replied, looking about the place. It was neat and tidy, just how Maka liked it, and after a moment, Maka chirped, "Alright, I think I'll make the tea now! Kidd-kun, any preferences?" She asked, heading into the small, but over-qualified kitchen. "I'll take anything, Earl Grey if you've got it."

Maka boiled the teakettle, readied the tea and cups, and came out a few minutes later with a tray and set it down on the table. Gently handing Kidd his teacup, Maka sat down on the small couch opposite him, with Kidd himself having sat on the other couch. Taking her teacup into her hands, she smiled, giving a peaceful sigh before taking a sip, feeling warm and cozy with her relaxing peppermint tea. She looked to Kidd, who sat in front of her, with perfect posture, taking a sip of his Earl Grey. Smiling, he set the cup down, and said, "How about those books, Maka?"

Blinking, Maka set her tea down and nodded. "Oh! Of course, follow me. Most of the books are in my room, if you want to look there first." She said, standing and showing him to her room, where a tall bookshelf stood in the corner of her room. "Pick any book you like, Kidd-kun." She murmured.

Sitting on her bed, watching him quietly, her hands folded in her lap, her thoughts became those that were focused on Kidd. She had never noticed how little she knew about the boy until now. And now, it was, that he stood here, his eyes scanning the bookshelf in her room. Blushing a bit, Maka realized that she had things to ask. So many questions unanswered, so many things she wanted to know.

She wondered if he would answer them, if any at all.

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Hooray. Happy happy.

I'm happy with how this turned out.

Hopefully I'll be able to get somewhere with this one this time. ;^;

Anyway, shall update soon.

Comments and reviews are loved, please and thank you. I need constructive criticism to keep me goingggg~

-Deadly


	2. Wondering

What, I wonder, is wrong with me? I'm a horrible person ; A ;

No inspiration for Soul Eater stories at all! But, I have been reading fanfiction and it's made me feel so much better.

So! I will make it up to you readers.

Before she had even utilised her normal thought process, Kidd had picked a book off of the shelf. He was now thoroughly inspecting it, as if to look for hidden flaws or imperfections that made the book worthless. Absently raking her olive eyes up his slender figure, she took note of his clothing.

His black suit, carefully washed and ironed, was looking awfully handsome clinging to the boy's lanky form. His hands, gentle and warm looking, treating the book with an utmost tenderness that she hadn't seen before. Pale ivory skin ghosting over the spine of an old, thick leather book, skin that just seemed so alive, so enchanting. She wondered what he looked like under all that - no. Why had she even thought that?

Her train of thought was broken, however, when Kidd called to her. "Maka, I must ask. Have you read all of these books?" Blinking rapidly, Maka replied. "Well, I've read most of them, I haven't gotten to the ones near the bottom," She stood, showing him that the o es she had read and loved most were at eye level where she could see them, and the ones she hadn't read were near the bottom. Trinkets and boxes full of letters and other small items lined the top and bottom shelves, leaving the books in the middle.

"Interesting," Kidd mused, tucking the leather book in his hand under his arm. He turned, golden eyes resting on her olive ones. "Shall we get back to our tea?" He asked, and Maka nodded sheepishly. "I had almost forgotten, hopefully it's not too cold," She ushered Kidd out of her bedroom and back into the living room.

Setting the book he had taken from the shelf down onto the glass-panelled coffee table, his gaze meeting Maka's. He took his tea, taking a grateful sip before setting the cup back onto the saucer. Desperate to find something to talk about, Maka blinked. "I have an idea," She began, earning Kidd's interest. "Oh? Is that so?" Maka nodded. "Continue, then, I'm eager to hear it." Taking a breath, Maka took a sip of her sweet orange spice tea. "We should get to know each other better. I mean, we go to school and we talk, like this," She motioned to the books and tea spread between them, "But I barely know anything about you." "Agreed. It's a wonder this hasn't happened sooner," He murmured, referring to their little get-together.

"Maybe we can start by asking questions, back and forth, and answering honestly. Kidd nodded in agreement. "Alright, I'll go first, if that's alright." He paused, assuming that her silence was an okay. "What is your favourite book, out of those you have read, and why?" This question took a moment to register. Tapping her chin, Maka sighed. "I'm not sure, I love so many books. So many works are worth noting…" She chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of her neck.

Smiling softly, Kidd nodded. "I feel exactly the same way, actually. It's such a daunting task to pick just one book out of so many that are worth reading over and over." "Yes, while I love some works more than others, I can't find myself choosing just one." There was a moment or two of silence between them, and Maka coughed. "I suppose it's my turn. Do you like sweets at all? Candy, cake?" "I suppose I have a soft spot, but I'm not one to indulge. I'm the type to get carried away with sweets." Maka laughed. "Well, what is your favourite type of sweet, and why?" "Lemon hard candies," Kidd shot back almost immediately. Closing his eyes, he thought about it. "They're sour, obviously, but since it's candy, they're sweet as well… it's the perfect balance, not to mention delicious."

Chuckling, Maka replied, "I love lemon flavoured sweets as well, but lately I've taken a liking to this almond and chocolate cake I tried at a café once. It was sweet, laced with some rum, I think, and there were slivered almonds in the batter, with some chocolate shavings over the top." "Sounds delicious, Maka." She nodded. "I should take you to try it some time, Kidd-kun, it's wonderful with an almond latte."

Kidd finished his tea, and Maka stood to take the empty cups into the kitchen to wash. "No, Maka, I'll do it," Kidd smiled, taking her cup and saucer as well as his and taking them into the apartment's small kitchen. He set them in the sink, rinsing them out and taking his place back on the sofa opposite Maka. "This has been a good way to spend my time," He began, blinking slowly and settling himself into the comfortable grey-blue leather. "I haven't enjoyed myself as much as I have in this short time." He glanced towards a clock on the wall, his amber eyes saddening for a moment. "I, however, must be leaving soon… there is dinner to be prepared, and both Liz and Patti must be wondering where I've gone off to." He stood slowly, and Maka did the same. "I quite like your company. We should do this again another time."

Maka walked him to the door, and the two stood in silence for a few minutes. Kidd smiled gently, and Maka reciprocated with her own soft smile. "Oh! You forgot your books," She realized, dashing to the living room and scooping them up into her arms. Handing them off to Kidd, who took them gracefully into his arms, he noticed one of her books was among them. Picking it out, he looked at her curiously. "This is yours, you know." She nodded with a smile. "Go ahead, you can borrow it. I trust you'll take care of it!" She opened the door for him, and he left with a gentle goodbye, making sure to let her know they should do this again.

After shutting the door, she leaned against it, feeling a bit dazed. What a meeting. It felt so short, but at the same time, like an eternity had passed… they had talked endlessly, about books, no less. Breathless, she whispered, "Amazing. Just amazing." She closed her eyes for a moment, and saw those amber orbs looking back at her, and she shook her head. That was odd. Creepy and weird, stalker-ish, even, that only after a few hours of talking, her thoughts were occupied with the boy. Terminating all thoughts, she settled on making dinner for Soul. He'd be home from playing basketball with Black Star any time now.

Chicken and vegetable soup, she decided, after taking a look into the refrigerator to see what food they had left. She'd have to go shopping soon, maybe tomorrow after school. Maybe she could meet Kidd-kun by the café if the weather was nice! Well, until she squashed the thought. Just meeting him again, even thinking about it, that sent a shiver down her spine. _Let's not get too eager, Maka. Let's not ruin the beginning of a great friendship._

She had washed the teacups and saucers and put them away, washing the vegetables and cleaning the meat. First, the potatoes, she thought, chopping up some red potatoes and tossing them into a pot with salt and pepper. Next, carrots, onion, and celery, and then the chicken, she told herself, dicing the carrots and onion, slicing the celery, and seasoning and cubing the chicken into bite-sized pieces. She let the pot simmer for a while, stirring, and then she added vegetable stock and put a lid on the pot.

She wandered back into the living room, taking one of her books off of the table and looking at it. Bram Stoker's Dracula, she read, her pale and nimble fingers ghosting over the soft, worn cover. She opened to the first page, feeling the paper crinkle deliciously under his touch. Looking about the room, she lifted the book to her nose and inhaled. Ah, the wonderful smell of an appreciated book. That was one of her favourite things. She sat down for a moment, reading the first chapter, before remembering she had soup to watch after. Resignedly, she put the book down, going to stir the soup and turning the heat down.

From the kitchen, Maka heard the distinct sound of the lock on the door clicking, as the door was unlocked and open. "Maka, I'm home! What's for dinner?" Soul's familiar voice called from the door, walking into the kitchen after glancing at the table. "Soup," She replied, keeping her eyes on the floor. "Bookworm," He stated, looking back to the books strewn on the table. He left to wash up and shower, and she sighed. Taking a look at the soup, she turned off the heat and fixed two bowls, slicing some bread and fixing drinks, laying out the food on the two-person table.

"Soul!" Maka called to him, "Dinner's done! Get out here!" Soul's door opened, and he rolled up his sleeves a bit, running a hand through his hair and sitting at the table. "Soup?" He questioned, and Maka nodded. "It was a little cold out today, plus I figured you'd need some good food after your basketball game with Black Star." "Heh, yeah. I beat his sorry ass, but just barely." He laughed, taking a bite of his soup and chewing thoughtfully. "This is good, Maka," He swallowed, dipping a slice of bread in the creamy soup. "Thanks," She murmured, slowly eating her soup as well. Looking up slowly, Soul blinked. "Something wrong, Maka?" This shook her out of her trance. "Yeah, just thinking about the things I should probably be studying for. That's all," She finished her soup and stood to wash the bowl, cleaning up the kitchen and then leaving her bowl and spoon for Soul to wash, along with his own.

"I think I'm going to do some studying, Soul," Maka told him, taking her books into her room and sitting at her desk. She was feeling awfully absent today, she had noticed, since Kidd had left. "No worries, it's all just good company that I miss…" She assured herself quietly, wondering why she wasn't so sure of that. Every time she blinked, there he was, in the back of her eyelids, a warm gaze from amber eyes with a seemingly permanent smile affixed on his face.

She shook her head rapidly, standing and marching into the bathroom, turning on the faucet and letting the water run before turning the shower. The steam rose, clouding the room as she undressed. She needed to clear her thoughts, _now_. This was the best way she could think of. She stepped into the shower, letting the heat engulf her, washing away her worries and tension. She massaged shampoo into her scalp, rinsing and repeating with conditioner as she washed her body.

Feeling refreshed, she towelled off and dressed in some light, airy clothing, and headed back to her room. After sitting around for a moment, her eyes drifted slowly to her bookshelf. There was a space, there, now, where a book was missing. The one Kidd had borrowed. That reminded her of the afternoon she had, and she found herself smiling. Rubbing her eyes, she decided that maybe sleep would be best, considering she couldn't focus on anything anyway.

She went back to the bathroom and brushed her teeth, brushing out her hair and turning the light off as she walked back to her room. "Night, Soul," She murmured down the empty hall. Closing the door to her room, she settled into bed, poring over her thoughts, and her book.


	3. Closer

You know something I didn't notice? Besides the one or two typos I didn't catch. (Not proofreading is always a mistake on my part). At first, Maka's tea was peppermint, and then it was orange spice. Hehehe.

Also, finally this is finished. I apologise.

School was awfully uneventful the next day. Homework was assigned, a rare occurrence under the teaching of Dr. Stein. Groaning inwardly, Maka told herself that it was just another entry on the list of things she had to do when class was over. Standing and slowly packing her things, she left the classroom, which earned a shout in protest from Soul. "Sorry, Soul, I've got to go get groceries for dinner, and study. Why don't you go play some basketball again?" She suggested, pulling her schoolbag back onto her shoulder. "Sure, whatever, if you say so." Soul waved his hand dismissively, walking off to find Black Star.

Turning on her heel, she spotted Kidd standing quietly in front of the mission board. Shyly, she walked up to him, taking a look at the board as well. "Hello, Kidd-kun," She began, keeping her eyes averted from his. "Hello, Maka." Now she felt silly for using the honorific when he didn't do the same for her. "I know we had a great time only just yesterday and all, but," She paused, shifting on her feet. This was making her feel awkward, that wasn't right. "I'm going down to the market today and was wondering if you'd like to have some coffee with me," Looking at him, she noticed his eyes sparkle for a split second. "We can study, too, if you like." Turning away from the board, Kidd nodded. "That sounds wonderful, I'll join you."

Smiling a bit, Maka nodded. "Alright. Would you like to just meet me there? Or if you don't mind, you can come shopping with me, it's up to you." Kidd thought about it for a moment, blinking. "I think I'll join you with your shopping, if you don't mind. That way there's no worry of being late," He added, as a last remark. "Ah, yes, that makes sense." They both fell silent for a few moments. "Well, erm, if you'll come with me, we can go now," Maka stuttered, silently cursing herself for acting so silly. She never stuttered, she was never embarrassed, so why was she now?

The two walked with occasional chatter about school, the day's assignment, and the soul resonance practice. "You and Soul still have one of the strongest resonances I've ever seen," Kidd complimented, and Maka nearly rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Kidd-kun. I just wish he was easier to get along with day to day, not just on missions or in class." "I understand, Liz and Patti are sometimes unbearable as well, but I suppose it's something we both have to deal with." "Yeah," Maka paused, looking up. "Oh, we're here! That took less time than I thought it would." Grabbing a cart, she looked back at Kidd with a smile. "You ready?" She asked, walking into the store.

She manoeuvred the aisles, Kidd trailing behind, the two bantering idly about random things. "What is your favourite food, Kidd?" She asked, noticing she had left off the honorific by accident. Without skipping a beat, Kidd replied, "I've always had a bit of a soft spot for salmon, but I'm not sure what my absolute favourite food is," "I love salmon, it's very versatile, and always delicious." Stopping in front of the fresh vegetables, Maka picked up some broccoli and tomatoes, and a bag of red potatoes. "I used to make this miso salmon," She murmured, pushing the cart past some canned corn. "I would marinate the salmon in soy sauce, garlic, and miso paste, and cook it with slivered almonds." She examined some strawberries, picking up a small carton and setting it in the basket. "Mm," Kidd murmured, looking at some of the fresh peaches, "That sounds fantastic."

Maka nodded. "All I need now is some onion, and a few other things, and then we can go." She pulled the cart over towards the fish, picking up a red onion as well. Selecting the nicest looking bit of salmon, she set it gently in the cart, looking around the store. "Miso paste, miso paste... I always have to buy a new batch because it always goes bad before I can use it all..." She murmured absently. "I think I'll make salmon tomorrow night," Maka glanced back at Kidd, who was watching her quietly. "If you'd like to come by and have some, you're more than welcome to."

Blinking, Kidd smiled. "That would be wonderful. I'll try and stop by, I've got a busy day tomorrow, though." Quickly, Maka asked, "Are you sure it's alright for you to be with me right now? If you've got things to prepare for, we can go for coffee another time!" Kidd raised his hand slightly. "No need, no need. It's quite alright, Maka." Sighing with relief, she regained her composure. "Well then, I've got everything I need, let's get out of here." She made her way to the checkout line, scanning her items and bagging them, though she fumbled with the bags a bit. "Here," Kidd gestured, helping her, "You scan, I'll bag." Maka nodded, embarrassed. Usually she could take care of herself, but when Kidd was around she lost all inhibition, which bothered her to an extreme.

They left the grocers, Maka carrying a bag in each hand. "Thank you for your help, Kidd, I appreciate it." "No problem, Maka. I don't mind at all. Now, where's this café you've been anxious to bring me to?" Kidd asked, looking about the busy street. Carefully lifting a hand, she pointed towards the general direction of the cafe. "Right over there, actually," She walked next to the boy, both quiet, when she smiled suddenly. "It's been nice," she murmured, "Getting out of the house and spending time learning about someone." She smiled a bit, looking down the street. She had piqued his interest, and his amber eyes turned on her. "Really, now?"

"Yes. I had never expected to learn so much in two days, it's wonderful," Her olive eyes glimmered happily. "The conversations we've had have been fantastic, and your love of books is enlightening. You've read things I've never heard of, and it just makes everything so interesting." Laughing quietly, Kidd agreed. "Yes, I have to admit I very much value our time together. It does add some light to my normally dull and repetitive schedule." Kidd paused to smile sincerely. "We're here."

"Ah, thank you." Spotting a table outside, she pointed, "Would you mind sitting there? It's a bit isolated, it looks nice." "Sure, Maka, that's fine. I'll take these," Kidd murmured, taking the two bags from Maka's hands and walking with her to the table. With his free hand, he pulled a chair from the table, motioning for her to sit down as he put the bags underneath the table. Pushing her chair in a bit, he sat down as well and smiled, giving a content sigh and picking up a menu.

Handing the menu to Maka, he let her decide on what she wanted first. "I think I'll have just a latte," She thought aloud, looking at Kidd. His golden eyes were fixated on something elsewhere, so she took the opportunity to watch him. His skin was a pale, creamy ivory, which made his dark eyes so much more vibrant. She hadn't paid much attention to this before, something that struck her as odd. Here before her, she had a flawless being, which she had never noticed. Why, she wasn't sure, but the thought itself made her feel a bit awful, that she hadn't given any notice to Kidd until they met in the library two days ago.

"Ah, Maka, have you decided what you'd like?" His calm voice pulled her from her thoughts, and she looked up, nodding and handing him the rather petite menu. "You said the almond cake was nice, I think I'll try it... And coffee, of course..." he mumbled to himself, poring over the menu. Shortly after he set the menu down, a waitress arrived. She was average height, with blonde, gentle curls, and brown eyes. Rather pretty, actually, but not nearly symmetrical, with her side-swept bangs and name tag pinned on her short brown apron. "Are you two ready to order?" She asked slowly, smiling at Maka and then at Kidd.

Giving her a look, Maka replied, "Yes. I'd like a plain coffee, and a slice of your lemon cake, if you don't mind." The blonde scribbled onto her notepad, nodding once before turning to Kidd. "And yourself, sir?" She smiled inquisitively, tilting her head in a way that made Maka huff quietly in frustration. Kidd spoke up, and Maka turned her eyes to him. "I'll have just a coffee, with cream and sugar. Also, if you don't mind, I'd like to try the almond cake. And that's all, thank you," Kidd said, as the girl nodded and wrote down his order. "Okay, that'll be right out." She smiled again, before trouncing off.

Clearing his throat uncomfortably, Kidd smiled, almost apologetically. "She seemed a bit... happy. I don't think that's the right word, though... hmm..." Maka bit her lip. "I think she was trying to get your attention, Kidd. She might like you." He scoffed. "How silly, why would she?" After a moment of silence, Maka giggled quietly. "Well, to start, you're awfully good-looking..." She averted her gaze. "And your voice, it's like silk and honey. Your eyes are gorgeous, and you're brilliant..." She heard a slight chuckle. Maka coughed. "Erm, I'm sorry. Got a bit carried away."

Maka's coffee and cake was placed in front of her, as was Kidd's. After adding some sugar and cream to his coffee, he took a sip; content with the delicious warmth it brought him. "Delightful, I think," He smiled, setting down his cup, "because I could say the same things for you." Glancing at the waitress, who looked rather crestfallen, he sighed, thanking her. Turning back to Maka, he blinked slowly. "Though I just hope you don't mind my saying so."

Maka shook her head quickly. "No, no, not at all," Daintily taking her fork, she took a small bite of her lemon cake. "Though I find it quite odd you think of me as handsome," she stifled a giggle, "considering that's what I said about you." Realising this silly mistake, Kidd grinned sheepishly. "Well... I'm sure you understood what I truly meant, Maka."

"That I do," She acknowledged, adding some sugar and cream to her coffee and tasting it, carefully, to avoid burning her tongue. "Mm, wonderful." Pressing his fingertips together, Kidd breathed, "Anything in particular we might talk about? I've noticed books to be a good topic." "I do quite like books, yes... Perhaps that's a good place to start."

The conversation went better than expected, so well, in fact, that the pair had talked for nearly an hour. Luckily, as Maka hadn't purchased any cold food, she wasn't worried. Sighing contentedly, Kidd smiled at her. "This has been nice, Maka," "Yes, it has. I'm sure I've said this before, but talking to you is wonderful. Though I should get home and start dinner," She stood, rifling through her jacket and pulling out a few dollars from her wallet, placing then under her coffee cup. "Have you anything planned tonight?" She asked curiously, picking up her bags and stepping away from the table.

As Kidd laid some money on the table and began to walk with Maka, he shook his head. "No, actually, though I'm sure I'll find something to do. Have you anything you'll get up to this evening?" No, she didn't, she told him. Just homework and perhaps some extra studying.

The trip back to Maka's apartment seemed to take so little time while in Kidd's company, and soon they stood in front of her door, silence hanging in the air. "Well," Maka began, her olive eyes meeting those of molten gold. "Thank you for the lovely afternoon, Kidd," "Any time, Maka." Reaching a hand out, Kidd ran his thumb over her cheek. "Have a nice evening. Goodnight." Looking up, Maka nodded, and then he was gone. Shouldering her way inside, Maka unpacked the groceries, sorting them into the refrigerator. As she prepared dinner, her mind wandered. This afternoon was definitely something she should think over.


	4. Preparations

"So, Soul," Maka started, pushing a piece of curried chicken around her plate, "I invited Kidd over to dinner tomorrow. Can you do me a favor and not make a fool of yourself? Please?" While Soul didn't look the least bit pleased, he nodded, "Fine, whatever," stood, and took his plate into the kitchen. Maka sighed tiredly, standing to do the same. "You don't like him, do you?" She asked, leaning against the kitchen doorframe as Soul washed his plate. He gave a snort in reply. "Hardly." After a bit of thought, she asked quietly, "Why?" She didn't get an answer, and now defeated, she rinsed off her dinner plate as well, and then cleaned off the table.

Maybe she could calm her thoughts with some tea and a bath, she thought, taking a small carton of milk and honey reserved for this exact purpose, and boiling the kettle as she headed into the bathroom. Turning the tap and letting the water warm up, she poured the milk and honey mixture into the tub, smiling at the pleasant aroma, sweet and gentle. Rushing off to make her tea, she chose earl grey, pouring the water into a nice porcelain teapot. Maka decided to set the teapot on a tray, along with sugar and some cream, taking it into the bathroom. The water was high enough in the bath, now, so she turned it off, inhaling deeply, before preparing her tea.

She had peeled off each layer of her clothing, and now lay in the tub, light brown hair pinned up into a cute, messy bun. She sipped at her tea, before closing her eyes and leaning her head back. Today had been rather… eventful, at least near the end of the day. Kidd was good company, he was good-looking, smart, and she _did_ like him. He was sweet. Shaking her head, she resolved to keep the thoughts out of her head. This was happening too fast, much too fast.

Time to change gears and think of something else. She should probably return her books tomorrow; she had finished them, after all. She only had a few classes tomorrow; maybe she'd use her free time to do some more thinking. She should probably clean the house, too, she remembered. And before she left for school, she'd have to start on dinner, so the salmon could marinate while she was gone. Her mental checklist was growing; things that needed to be done tomorrow piled up little by little. Stifling a sigh, she rubbed her temples; she should probably get out of the bath now.

Pulling the plug so the cloudy water could drain, she stood and wrapped herself in a fluffy towel, tossing her clothes in the laundry bin. She dressed in loose pajamas, washed her teacup and the pot, and headed off to bed, yawning. Thinking more would have to wait until tomorrow.

When brittle, pale sunlight pushed its way through Maka's curtains, she groaned, and threw the blankets off of her body, swinging her feet over the edge of the bed and standing, groggily. "Time to get up and get ready, then…" She mumbled, taking a quick shower and rushing into the kitchen to make breakfast. Pancakes are quick, right? She asked herself, preparing the batter and heating a pan. They'll have to do; after all, I've a busy day today. Apparently the smell of cinnamon sugar pancakes was enough to wake Soul, who nearly floated into the kitchen, intoxicated by the scent.

"Nn, Maka," He murmured, blinking slowly, "smells great." She smiled softly, nodding in thanks. They were quiet for a bit, and she shoveled a few pancakes and cooked apple slices onto a plate, handing it to him. He gently took the plate, looking at it for a moment before shifting his gaze back to her. "… You look good today." He shuffled off to eat, and Maka blinked, slightly stunned. She was going to say something, but she couldn't think of what, so she decided to eat instead, taking a few bites before beginning to prepare dinner.

One thing on her list was ticked off, salmon was marinating, and now she needed to head to the library. "Soul," she called from the front door, "I'm off to the library to return my books. I'll see you in class, okay?" "Yeah, `kay," he called back, and she shut the door behind her.

She never really _looked_ at the library, she only saw. She only barely noticed the pale, tall walls, high ceiling, and filigree bookshelves, only acknowledged their existence, but had never taken the time to appreciate the true beauty that was Shibusen's expansive library. Humming quietly to herself, she waited in line to return her books, before setting another task upon herself: finding more to read. Making her way to the second floor, she scanned the shelves, selecting a few books, and replacing the ones she decided against.

After browsing a few more aisles of books, she had enough to keep her occupied for a while, so she headed back downstairs and checked them out, heading to class afterwards. She turned in her homework, sat back at her desk, head buzzing. She was, she had to admit, very excited to be seeing Kidd again, though she had seen him just yesterday. It was difficult to concentrate – she'd have to take this assignment home, she decided, as class ended, leaving her free to finish up the other errands on her list.

The walk home was brisk – Maka was definitely brimming with anticipation. Well, she assured herself, who wouldn't be, with someone like Kidd coming over to have dinner? Flushing slightly and shaking her head, she reminded herself that he was just a friend, just a friend and nothing more.


End file.
